Ties that Bind
by Sam5
Summary: Bricriu returns to claim Jack's body.
1. Default Chapter

Do not own characters, story will get better I promise.

Fiona Phillips sat at her desk and tried to will the minutes to pass. She hated Chemistry, but it

was part of the curriculum for public school... so she bit her pencil and bared it. Almost two

months after leaving the tour and opting for a "normal life" Fi was already beginning to regret it.

Who was she if not ... tracking ghosts, spirits, righting wrongs? She simply wasn't herself. But

she had made a promise to herself to attempt a normal life, in order to spare her family the pain

and embaressment. And she was going to try and make good on that promise, at least until the

end of the semester.

Fi couldn't help but wonder what her family was up to. Traveling around the country, meeting all

sorts of people... if was official, she was depressed.

Finally the bell rang and students filed out of the classroom. She entered the crowded hall and

looked into the placid faces as they passed carelessly. None made eye contact with her, except

one. A tall blonde boy, walking down the hallway, just like everyone else, but he was staring

directly at her, at first she blushed, but then, after thinking about it, noticed something was too

strange about this encounter. He passed by her. Fi turned around and watched him go.

"Hey, watch were you're going!" a stranger's voice said as he bent down to pick up the books

Fi had caused him to drop.

"Oh, I am so sorry." She said. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. You?" Fi helped him gather his books. "You know, most people look in front of them

when they walk, it kind of lets them know what's in front of them."

"Yeah, you know, I've heard of that."

"Don't practice it much though, huh?"

"I don't make a habit of it if that's what you mean."

They stood there awkwardly.

"Yeah, well, again, I'm real sorry about bumping into you." Fi said and tried to walk away gracefully.

"What's your name?" the boy said.

"Fi. F-Fiona."

"Well, Fi, maybe I'll bump into you again sometime."

"Yeah." She said and continued walking. A big smile on her face.


	2. Figuring it out

Although Fi was ecstatic about her brief flirtation in the hall earlier, she could not shake the

memory of the fair-haired boy who seemed to stare her down in the hall.

Maybe it was nothing, it was probably nothing, she said to herself. But something about him

seemed so familiar. She decided to forget about it and log onto her computer.

"Let's see..." she said as she scanned her e-mail. No surprise there was a message from her

mother, she scrolled down. Wow, an e-mail from Jack... he hardly ever writes.

She double clicked and opened it.

Dear Fi- October 30-04

Hey Sis, what's going on? Just writing to see how you are... and what you're up to. Mom is still

crazy over you're leaving, though you wouldn't know it to look at her, or talk to her, but I know

it. You'd know it too, if you were here.

It's Halloween tomorrow, so I figured it's almost like your birthday. Yeah, uh, anyway, I'll let

you go. Just checking up on you.

Write when you can, I guess.

Love,

Jack

That was sweet of him, he seemed like he was holding something back. That kind of message

makes it hard what to know to write back. I'll call mom later and ask if anything is wrong.

Dear Jack-

Hey. That was nice of you to write, it's so, so, unlike you. Ha ha, just kidding you, Bro.

Is everything okay there? "There" meaning wherever the heck you guys are! Truthfully, I wish I

were there with you guys now. I miss you guys a lot. School is ...okay. It is kind of strange being

around people my own age. I've never seen so many of them before. ï 


	3. Got Ya

Fi opened her eyes and got ready for a long day at school. She made it through her first two

classes no problem. There was a bit of excitement in the air because of Halloween. Everyone

was talking about what they were going to do that evening. Secretly, Fi pitied them, they didn't

even know the true meaning of Halloween. She had to admit that there was a little tinge of

excitement in her too. No matter how she tried to block that part of her life out, it still existed

within her.

Class let out and the same routine followed as it had the day before. The students filled out of

the room and entered a heavily trafficked hall.

She started down the hall, when suddenly, there was the blonde boy from yesterday. Again, he

stared at her. He broke into a grin.

I know him from somewhere, Fi thought to herself. Just as he passed her, she decided to catch

up with him and see what was going on.

"Hey," she said taking a hold of his shoulder. "Do I know you?"

"_Do_ you know me?" he laughed.

"Yeah. Why were you staring at me? Do I know you or something?"

The boy put his hand on his chest as if he were injured.

"Now, I am truly hurt, Little Duck."

"Bricriu!"

"There ye are. I knew you'd remember me. I am a bit hard to forget."

"Yeah. What are you doing here? What do you want?"  
"I need your brother."

"No way, I-. Wait a minute. You didn't need my permission to take over Jack's body last time, why are you asking now?"

"Listen, for some reason, I can only track you. That's right; I know relatively where you are at any given moment in the day."

"Comforting." She said sarcastically.

"Your brother on the other hand..."

"I see. But what makes you think I would just hand my brother over to you?"

"I thought I'd give you another chance to talk to your father, I know you still want to. He wants

to talk to _you_."

"Why Jack?"

"Tisk, Tisk, Tisk. That's for me to know, Little Duck."

"Well, I won't tell you where my brother is until I know."

"I have a feeling you won't tell me if I do."

"So why are you here then?"

"You will tell me, Fi Phillips. Aye, ye will. Before the clock ticks the last second of All Hallows

Eve, ye'll tell me."


	4. First Glimpse

All of a sudden, they were transported into the Nexis.

"That gets old really fast, Bricriu."

"Tell me where 'ee is."

"You know I can't do that."

"Ye must!"

"Tell me why!"

"Your family, girl. Trust me. You will need me. There are things that exist, as you and I know,

that are far greater than us. You will need me, I told you, your brother can't protect ye like I

can." Silence. "And if you do, I will bring your father back. I won't trick ye now, I can't bring

him back to life, but he can be with ye and yer family as well."

"Except Jack."

"A small catch."

"A big catch. I still don't understand though. You say you need Jack to protect me, but you can

clearly take any form you like and here you are. Couldn't you protect me that way?"

"Brothers and sisters have a special bond. They can feel what the other is feeling. Also, it's not

all about protecting you. A part of it is to help yer brother."

"What do you mean? What's wrong with Jack?"

"When I looked into his memory, his life, I saw how unhappy he is. He is strong, and hides it

well. Quite a clever lad, hides it all with snide jokes and cynicism."

"Why is Jack so sad?"

"Don't you know, Little Duck?"

"No."

"Do you not know yer own brother at all?"

Fiona was hurt that she knew so little about Jack. She had never thought to ask.

"Tisk, tisk, tisk, Little Duck, I don't know if I want to be yer brother now. He misses yer father

a great deal. His soul aches. I felt it. It seems he thinks that he must carry ye and yer mother.

Quite a noble position he's put on himself, I'll say. But foolish to think he can help. He

talks to a counselor on his mirror thing."

"Computer?"

"Aye. My, Little Duck."

"I know he had been having trouble the last 5 months but I never thought..."

"Oh, Lass, he's been talking to 'em for a good two years now."


	5. Bricru

Some inspiration drawn from the Goo Goo Dolls Acoustic

Bricru handed Fiona a book.

"It's Jack's journal. I didn't even know he kept a journal."

"Aye, another wonderful window into the world that is your brother."

Bricru made the journal flip to the page he wished Fiona to see.

"_What's the point in trying?_

_Even if I scream, no one's listening anyway._

_My voice is so small in this family now. And fading. It is so exhausting trying to take care of Fiona and Mom. And even more difficult hiding my concern from them. I know I don't have to do it, but I know in a way they depend on me; even if they don't say it. _

_People say it's not my job. But it is, it's mine till the day I die."_

"I don't understand the human preoccupation with others of yer kind. Especially family."

"No, I don't suppose you would."

"You can help yer brother ye know."

"How?"

"If... I were your brother, I could look through his memories and ye could see how to help 'im."

Bricru could see his persuasion was beginning to tempt her.

"I feel fer 'im, I do. Poor, poor Jack. Such a burden he bares."

"I had no idea. But how do I know this is all true?"

"You do not trust me, Little Duck?"

"Have you given me reason to?"

"All right. All I can show you is what I have seen when I _was_ your brother."

"All right."

_A memory of Jack's flashed up onto a screen. It flashed by a house._

"That's our home when we're not on tour."

Fi watched on as the scene progressed.

"_I'm going for a walk, Mom."_

"_All right, Jack. Be back by 6!"_

_Jack walked down the street until he got to a house about a mile down the road._

_He went up to the door and knocked. A friendly looking man opened the door and invited Jack inside. _

"_It's good to see you, Jack. I was a little worried after I got your last e-mail."_

"_I'm sorry, Joe. Long day."_

"_Let's sit down over here. So tell me what's been going on lately."_

"Is that who Jack talks to? The one you were talking about earlier?"

"Just tell me where he is. We can help him together, Fiona."

Fi felt such sympathy for her brother, and did not want to be a burden on him his entire life. But Bricru was evil. He couldn't be trusted. Maybe he can show me what else Jack-

"No. I can help Jack on my own." She said as if coming out of a trance. Fi had to fight the urge to tell Bricru yes that she wanted his help.

"Fine," the spunkie said firmly. "I'll have to find my own way to him then. I thought we could be allies this time, Little Duck. You will be sorry. My powers are stronger now. Things even you couldn't think of."

Suddenly they were zapped into Fiona's bedroom at her aunt's home. Bricru looked at her and grinned. The jumped into Fi's open laptop computer.

"What are you doing?"

The human form Bricru had left was suddenly himself again.

"Where, where am I?"

"Um... I am your math tutor. But, uh, it turns out I won't be able to tutor you after all. Sorry. I'll show you out."

Fi returned to her computer after seeing the poor boy out. What is Bricru doing to my computer? She logged onto her e-mail and waited for a sign.

An e-mail from Jack.

_Dear Fi-_

_Okay, look I'll fess up. I had this weird dream that you were in trouble so, I just wanted to do the brotherly thing and check up on you. I worry about you, ya know. Glad to hear you're okay. I just had a strange feeling – but don't' read anything into it, I'm not joining you cult. Maybe you're rubbing off on me or something..._

_Let's hope not._

_Your favorite brother,_

_Jack._

"Maybe Bricru was right about me and Jack being connected somehow."

A voice came from out of her computer.

"Thank ye, Little Duck. Now that I have a direct link between you and your brother through the internet, I can locate him almost effortlessly. He he he."

"NO!" Fi screamed. "I've gotta warn Jack!"

She picked up the phone and began to dial.

"Hello? Jack? Listen, Jack. Where are you? You have to get off the bus, you have to get as far away from it as possible, you have to stay away from your computer. Don't ask me why you just have to do it, you've got to... Jack? Where are you right now? What do you mean you're on the computer? You have to get off. I'm not crazy, just trust me! Jack! Jack!"


End file.
